Sidley Austin elects new chair

The new leader is an investment funds expert and the firm’s New York managing partner

Sidley Austin elects new chair
One of the largest law firms in the US has elected a new chair. The firm has elected Michael J Schmidtberger as chair of its executive committee, the firm’s policy and affairs governing authority.

Schmidtberger will succeed Carter Phillips, who’s held the role for five years, on 1 January.

Schmidtberger will lead the firm with Larry Barden, chair of Sidley Austin’s management committee. The management committee and the executive committee are the highest governing bodies of the firm.

Schmidtberger has been in leadership posts at the firm for the past 15 years. He is the joint head of the firm’s global investment funds, advisers, and derivatives group. He is also the managing partner of the firm in New York. Schmidtberger has been with the firm for 28 years.

Sidley Austin has the seventh largest revenue among US law firms, at US$1.93bn, according to the 2017 Am Law 200 rankings by The American Lawyer. Its 346 equity partners earned US$2.13m last year.

The firm has 2,000 lawyers and 20 offices around the world, including one in Sydney. In the Asia-Pacific region, it has offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo.


Michael J Schmidtberger


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